Guide to driving FAST on tracks!

[mclaren1885]

Braking is one of the most important aspects while driving on track. And there is a certain methodology to it as well. Just like acceleration, one must brake smoothly too. Locking up wheels is only going to lose you time as your steering inputs get limited with your wheels locked.

Another must do while trying to reduce speeds is use engine braking as far as possible. Engine braking takes the additional stress off your regular brakes and prevents them from fading away too soon. And since staying in the right gear for each corner is important one must engine brake in such a way that you are always in the right gear for the approaching corner.

To maximize braking efficiency, it is of prime importance to have have good set of brake pads and rotors that aren't warped and take good care that you have a good set of tyres. Contrary to most beliefs tyres play a major role in deceleration. Again remember tyres are the only form of contact between the tarmac and your car.

The maximum braking performance point is just before the point you are about to lock your wheels. Incase you lock your wheels, immediately take your foot off the brake pedal. This will return you the ability to steer and will also prevent your tyre from flat spotting.

The thumb rule is always to brake and finish your downshifting in a straight line. That is before you start turning into the apex. Never brake while turning, the weight transfer will just upset the balance of the car.

Once you are comfortable with the standard braking procedure, one can get to the advanced stage of braking. Read "Left Foot Braking".



Yes, you read it right. In racing, drivers normally adapt to left foot braking when they don't want to get off the throttle. LFB helps in:

1. Reducing understeer - The theory here is that you can feather the brakes into a corner (trail braking), while transitioning to progressive throttle at the apex. This can lead to a very smooth transition between braking and acceleration and is less likely to unsettle the car through unwanted weight transfer. It also keeps the weight at the front of the vehicle for as long as possible, thus providing more grip, a better turn in and reduces the possibility of understeer.

2. Reducing driving loss through spinning wheels - This technique is particularly useful for a front wheel drive car without a limited slip differential. On the exit of the corner, it is a common symptom for one the unladen front wheel to spin while applying throttle. This spinning wheel is preventing all of the power from transferring to the road and thus slowing the exit speed. By feathering the brake with the left foot, this can prevent or reduce this wheelspin, and get a better exit.

3. Removing the pedal transfer time between accelerator and brake - Using the left foot to brake removes the pedal transition time from brake to accelerator and vice versa. This can shave fractions of a second off a lap time when done well, but cannot be used when it is necessary to change down a gear (unless you decide not to use the clutch!)

Common mistakes while left foot braking- Left foot braking is an advanced technique, and should only be attempted in anger after lots of practice. When learning to left foot brake, you'll initially press the pedal far too hard as you'll be used to the action of pressing a clutch all the way to the floor. It takes time to re-programme the 'muscle memory' of your foot and leg, and a bit of empty tarmac is highly recommended.

PS: Left foot braking is a big boon, if you learn to get it right. Remember LFB is a very bad idea if you are slowing down to a stop. Always to be used only while cornering knowing very well you won't have to come to a stop.

Here is a video to show you how its done.

[mclaren1885]

The main advantage of heel & toe shifting is that you can brake as well as rev match at the same time thus saving you essential time.

What does heel and toe do?

1. Reduces stress on the driveline
2. Prevents forward weight transfers when down shifting
3. Reduces the chances of wheel lock in extreme cases
4. Allows rapid, smooth down changes before entering a corner

How does heel n toe work?
Basically you use your right foot to brake and accelerate simultaneously while your left foot does the duty on the clutch pedal.

Here is a video to demonstrate clearly how it is done.


So while you are slowing down the car before entering a corner you are also accelerating at the same time to be able to downshift and keep the engine in the powerband for the lower gear.

[mclaren1885]

Racing line is the preferred route taken by racers to travel through a corner in the shortest possible time, carrying the maximum corner exit speeds. Basically, you try to straight line the corner as much as possible.

A racing line can be broken down into mainly three sections.

1. Entry point - Point where you enter the corner.
2. Apex - Its referred to as the point where you are closest to the inside of the corner.
3. Exit point - The preferred line one must take after hitting the apex and prepare yourself for the next corner.




In simplest of words, always remember this is how you corner. Take the outside line (at the entry), hit the inside (at the apex) and again take the outside line (at the exit). So at any corner it is Outside-Inside-Outside. Exactly what is shown in the figure above.

Remember, entry speeds plays a vital role in getting a corner right. Too slow entry speeds and you will turn in way before the apex. Too fast entry speeds and you will miss the apex.

And another thumb rule while cornering is "Slow entry, faster exit". Always remember this rule. Having a faster entry and a slower exit will get you nowhere. Not only will it make you lose time at the current corner, but because of your lack of exit speeds at the current corner , your entry speed for the next corner is also too less. Its a continuous process. Hence a mistake at one corner, normally ends up losing you time in the subsequent corner or two.

Here is what you do wrt to accelerating/braking at different sections of a corner.


Remember what Jackie Stewart told in the first video I put up? "Never go down on the throttle until you know you never will have to take it off". Precisely what you must do here. After the braking point, keep the throttle smooth and throttle gradually till you reach the apex. Once you hit the apex, start straightening your steering and go down on the throttle at one go. One must never step on the throttle realize you are going to fast then go off it, then go back on the power etc.

At times the position of the next corner also affects your racing line through the current corner. Depending on that one must chose a tighter/wider line approach at the exit.



PS: Remember as soon as you hit the apex, start to straighten out your steering as soon as possible. Keeping your steering turned in for too long reduces the contact patch of your tyre with the tarmac and thus you end up losing time because adding power while a wheel is turned in will cause it to wheelspin.

[mclaren1885]

By definition, Understeer occurs when traction is lost at the front wheels while cornering, forcing you wide on a bend despite applying the correct steering angle. When viewed by an observer, this action looks as if the driver has applied insufficient steering lock (or under steered).

Lets look at what understeer is with the following diagrams.


Let us take a close look at what happens at C.


Instead of following the dotted line (which is the actual racing line) we end up taking a new line that will run us wide off the track.

Normally understeer is a common problem in FWD cars. Purely because the front wheel have too much to do. Both put the power down and steer the car.

Now that we know what understeer is, how do we correct it?

1. If you have carried far too much speed into a corner, go off the gas. Or turn in more, read give more steering input.
2. You can also understeer if you have braked too late and are still continuing to brake as you near the apex. This reduces your steering inputs. Hence always complete the braking in a straight line.
3. Suspension not being setup properly can also cause massive understeer. Basically too stiff front suspension causes understeer.
4. Running too high pressures on your front tyres causes understeer.

Understeer is a lot safer/easier to handle than oversteer.

A nice video.

[jaguar]

I was trying heel & toe and no way i was able to twist my foot to do it as shown in this video.

Even with the seat pushed back to the max, my knee hits the steering wheel when trying to do this.

Then I came across this video which shows heal - toe in a slightly different manner (I don't mean barefoot ).

Will try it out tomorrow. But I wanted to know which of the above 2 techniques do you people use.

[mclaren1885]

I use the first technique. Key is to wear flexible shoes, not the ones that have hard soles.

Had totally forgotten this thread. Will continue with the rest of it tomorrow.

[jaguar]

Rahul, its not about the shoes, my knees hit the steering wheel when i try to twist my legs.

[mclaren1885]

Here is a video from the Kuttikanam meet of me trying to heel n toe and use left foot braking in the ghats on Raineer's Peted Swift D. It was my first attempt at trying left foot braking in curves and I must admit it was quite an experience. I am getting more and more addicted to left foot braking now. I use it all the time even in the city now, using conventional braking only when my speeds drop below 30kmph.

[siddartha]

best way to learn left foot braking and heel toeing - drive a car with zero idling and a busted starter motor.

[Frankenstein]

Like in jeeps